Read More

A fifth of farmers believe shooting dogs is the best way to protect their livestock.

Reports of canines worrying and injuring sheep and other livestock are widespread, with the law over farmers’ rights to defend their animals unclear.

Farmers could shoot dogs caught worrying livestock (Image: Getty)

Police warn dog walkers to keep their pets under control when around livestock, and could be prosecuted if they fail to do so.

A police spokesman said: "Dog walkers are asked to keep them under control when around livestock. The person in charge of the dog at the time will be guilty of an offence if the dog worries livestock and would be liable to prosecution under Protection of Livestock Act 1953."

Read More

The word ‘worrying’ legally covers attacking, chasing in a way that could cause injury, suffering, abortion or loss of produce, or simply being ‘at large’, that is not on a lead or otherwise under close control, in a field or enclosure containing sheep.

According to the Animals Act 1971, a person killing or causing injury to a dog shall be deemed to act for the protection of any livestock if, and only if, the dog is worrying or is about to worry the livestock and there are no other reasonable means of ending or preventing the worrying, or the dog has been worrying livestock, has not left the vicinity and is not under the control of any person and there are no practicable means of ascertaining to whom it belongs.

In short, the farmer is entitled to shoot to protect livestock if it is the absolute last resort.

Cornwall Live understands that the incident took place on private property in the countryside though it is not a farm.